Malaysia
FMDM MALAYSIA
The Region in the East consists of Malaysia & Singapore – each with its own Coordinator. The Communities are in Port Klang, Ipoh and Penang.
Obituary. Sister Elisabetta Tan, age 84, passed away peacefully on Monday, 11 June 2018 in Our Lady’s Convent Ipoh, Malaysia. Her funeral Mass was held in the Church of Our Lady Mother of Perpetual Succour Ipoh on Thursday 14 June 2018. During Mass, celebrant Fr Paul Kee shared on how generous Sr Elisabetta had been in answering the Lord’s call and lived the religious life so generously and faithfully. Sr Helena RGS sang the responsorial psalm ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’ beautifully and with great feeling. Her sister Annie did the First Reading. Sr Elisabetta prepared her own funeral liturgy with the help of Sr Teresa Ratnam. She had been waiting for her Lord and Saviour to take her to God’s Eternal home. Sr Elisabetta was cremated at Tambun crematorium and her ashes will be interned in St Michael’s Church at a later date. We thank God for the gift of Elisabetta’s life and may eternal rest grant unto her O Lord, and may she now rest in peace.
HAINAN ISLAND CATHOLIC CHURCH AND MISSION, CHINA
Sr Isobel Loong shared: “Last October I had a specific mission for Hainan concentrating on formation development for Sr. Yu and her two novices, and to assist the return of Sr Moh, now older and with some health problems, back to her original Congregation on the Mainland. To organize this I had to fly to Guangzhou (Canton) capital of Guangdong Province and meet Fr. Yang and Sr. Yu from Hainan at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Jiangmen.” To read more click here. The Bright Wind is Blowing by Sr Isobel Loong
Congratulations to Diamond Jubilarians – Sisters Elisabetta (Tan), Pauline (Sewell), Assunta (Low)
On 19 September 2017 there was great rejoicing as FMDM Sisters, priest friends, visiting FMDM Sisters gathered in Our Lady’s Convent chapel for the celebration of three great women who have reached this rare Diamond milestone.
Golden Jubilarian Sr. Cecilia-Anne Lim
On 22 June 2017 during the cluster meeting of sisters in Malaysia, Sister Cecilia-Anne Lim celebrated her Golden Jubilee in Our Lady’s Convent, Ipoh. The celebration began with Mass in the chapel followed by a meal. Congratulations Cecilia-Anne
GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION
Sister Connie Hoe celebrated her Golden Jubilee on 17 February 2017 in Ipoh. Congratulations Connie on reaching this golden milestone.
Group photo: FMDM Sisters in MalaysiaBACKGROUND
We are a small international Congregation but we are blessed with a beautiful charism of conceiving, birthing and nurturing the life of Christ with true Franciscan joy and simplicity wherever we are missioned throughout our beautiful but often broken world.
Our primary and fundamental ministry is that of being ‘sister’ to one another in community, to the sisters and brothers in our global family and to the whole of creation. In recent years this has become central to our understanding of ourselves as missionaries and how we minister in the many and varied places we find ourselves in. To read more, click here. The Call to live the gospel
HOW IT ALL BEGAN…from Singapore to Malaysia
OUR FIRST FOUNDATION IN IPOH, MALAYSIA – 1962
OUR LADY’S HOSPITAL, IPOH / THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
It began in 1960 when Mr Foo Yet Kai, an Ipoh tin-miner well-known as a philanthropist, hearing that FMDM Sisters wish to extend their work to the Federation when opportunity arose, offered as a gift a magnificent Chinese mansion set in four acres of lawns and gardens (see picture above). Sadly, Mr Foo Yet Kai met an untimely death in 1961, but his son, Mr Foo Wan Thot, honouring his father’s intention, transferred the property to us on Saint Patrick’s Day 1962. To read more, click here. First Foundation in Malaysia
MOUNT MIRIAM IN PENANG – 1976
On 21st February 1976, Bishop Gregory Yong of Penang declared Mount Miriam Hospital Officially Open. In its initial phase, the superbly-situated Hospital—the sea views from all balconies, back and front—was equipped only for its avowed intent: to provide compassionate professional nursing care to patients in the grip of terminal cancer. Active treatment was instituted in 1979. To read more, click here. How it all began…Mount Miriam Hospital
Following these Health Care establishments, and in response to our General Chapter mandates, we began to venture in launching small non-institutional communities in the Diocese of Johor and Melaka and in Port Klang in Selangor, West Malaysia in 1987. The sisters engaged in multi-faceted ministry in favour of the materially poor. Their various endeavours include Educare, a Learning Centre which not only provides remedial teaching for under-privileged children but also enlists the help of concerned persons in negotiating sponsorship of their education. The sisters are involved in Basic Ecclesial Communities programmes, in Family Life Assistance, in the promotion through charitable outreach, of the spirit of fellowship with Hindu and Muslim neighbours.
FMDM gathering in Ipoh with Fr. Nithiya Sagayam OFM Cap on 21 July 2016
COUNTRY GATHERING
On 18-21 July, FMDM Sisters from Penang and Port Klang gathered in Our Lady’s Convent, IPOH. Due to geographical distance, sisters look forward to this gathering and for spiritual input as well as for fellowship. On 21 July, Fr. Nithiya Sagayam OFM Cap (from India), gave a session on TOR (Third Order Regular) values, which the sisters found very inspiring and enlightening. Although the topic is not new, Fr. Nithiya presented the topic very simply and genuinely, a subject close to our hearts – as FRANCISCANS.
Coordinator for MALAYSIA: Sister Ter Lei Chan
E: tlcfmdm50@gmail.com Mobile: +60 14345 9523
Address: Our Lady’s Convent, 5 Laluan Raja Dihilir 30350 Ipoh
Educare in Port Klang, Selangor: http://www.educarefmdm.com
Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital Penang: http://www.mountmiriam.com https://www.facebook.com/MountMiriam